Q&A with Brad Winchester

By Guy Flaming

March 23rd, 2004

Winchester Taking Aim

Expectations were high for Brad Winchester atthe start of the season in Toronto.The rookie forward had just completed fouryears at the University

of Wisconsin,one of the best hockey programs in the United States.The native of Madison was asecond round draft choice of the Oilers back in 2000, a pick that Edmonton acquiredfrom the Islanders during the trade involving Roman Hamrlik.

But Winchester’sdebut in the AHL did not get off to a great start.The 6’3” winger struggled early on whilemaking the adjustment to the professional ranks of the American Hockey League.

After scoring in the opening game of the season infront of friends and family in Milwaukee,Winchester’sproduction really tapered off.He wasn’talone in that situation however.JoeCullen, J.J. Hunter, Sean McAslan and Dan Baum wereall struggling in their first years in the league as well.Sometime after Christmas, things began toturn around for the team.

“I know the coaches kind of went in when we were on alosing streak and started pointing fingers and got on some of the young guys bysaying ‘you’ve been here now for 30 games and you can’t play like rookiesanymore’ and I’ve noticed since then that those young guys have really beenplaying well,” said veteran Roadrunner and team leader Chad Hinz.

Since the beginning of 2004, Winchester and therest of the rookie Roadrunners have become players that the coaches can rely onduring the course of any game.

“Winchesterhas been outstanding but it’s taken him a little while,” said Oiler scout ChrisMcCarthy.“He’s starting to use his sizeto physically dominate and fight for position, he’s making plays and he’sscoring goals.If he keeps progressingat the rate he is right now he might not be too far away.”

The versatile forward can play either wing, normallyon the left side but more frequently as of late on the right.Winchester

has scored a dozen times and has 17 points on the season thus far.

With the playoffs in sight, the Roadrunners will becounting on all of their young players for their endurance and energy as muchas for their hockey skills.Normallypretty laid back, just talking about the playoffs can get Winchester fired upand noticeably excited.

Hockey’s Future spoke with Brad Winchester before theRoadrunners left on a two-game road trip through Milwaukee and Cleveland.

HF:The start of the year was a little rough for you in terms of productionbut in the second have you’ve really come on strong.Was that just a matter of getting adjusted tothe league?

BW:Yeah,getting used to the league, the team and the systems too.I think as a first year pro you’re justtrying to learn as much as you can and take advantage of all the time you haveout on the ice.You try to soak up asmuch as you can from the coaches and the veterans on the team and that’s whatI’m trying to do all the time.

HF:Kevin Prendergast feels that it’s a tougher adjustment for collegeplayers to make than for a junior player because of the travel and the amountof games, would you agree with that?

BW:I thinkso.There’s definitely a lot more gamesand I think around the half way point of the season all the college guys startto feel it a bit.Now I’m definitelyused to it and it’s just a mindset that you have to have to play night in andnight out, it’s a lot of fun.

HF:Joe Cullen is another former college player who struggled early thisyear but has picked it up since Christmas.Was there one thing you can identify as a turning point in the year forthe team, and especially for the rookies that has helped turn things around sodramatically?

BW:It’s aboutgaining the confidence of the coaches and the other players that you can go outand execute the game plan.Developingyour overall game so that you’re not thinking as much but you’re just playingand as a first year guy I think the coaching staffreally wants to see how you’re going to respond to certain situations that theyput you in.All you can do is keepworking hard and like I said, try to learn more everyday.

HF:What isyour role on the team as a rookie?

BW:My role isto work hard, try to control the walls and have a presence out on the ice.All the time you’re trying to develop yourgame to new levels and it takes time to feel those things out but I think I’mstarting to provide some more offense and I’m doinggood defensively.Those areas haveimproved as of late and you just try to build off that and keep getting better.

HF:Who haveyou been playing with on most nights?

BW:RecentlyI’ve been playing with Jamie Wright quite a bit.Also with J.J. Hunter a lot but MikeBishai recently returned from Edmonton

and I’ve been skating with him a bit now too.

HF:According to the Roadrunners’ website, you are playing on theright side now?

BW:Yeah.

HF:I seem to recall you telling me that you can play all three forwardpositions, and did in Wisconsin at times.Is one side morecomfortable for you than the other?

BW:No, itdoesn’t really matter to me which side I’m on.

Right now I’m on the right side and that’s something I’m comfortablewith and in terms of positioning, with the amount of movement on the ice, whereyou are changes all the time throughout the shift so it’s a benefit that I canplay any position and it doesn’t matter.

HF:Have youplayed center and leftwing as well this year?

BW:I haven’t reallyplayed much in the center this year because we’ve got a lot of good centermenso I’ve pretty much played only on the wings.

HF:Who are you rooming with now?Iknow things have been shuffled lately and I think you’re with Chad Hinznow?

BW:I’veroomed with Hinz a bit but mostly I’ve been with Mikko Luoma.

HF:Has thelanguage barrier created any stories yet?

BW:No we havea good time together and I try to pick up a few Finnish tips.It’s good unless he’s trying to trick me intosaying things that I shouldn’t be saying. (laughs)

HF:What hashe had you doing?

BW:I try tolearn something and I think he’s teaching me one thing and it turns out to besomething else.(laughs)It’s pretty funny though and we have a goodtime with it, especially with Jani (Rita) and Tony (Salmelainen)too.The Finnish guys on our team arepretty funny guys and rooming with Mikko I’ve learned that he’s a character.

HF:Who onyour team has really caught your eye and impressed you this year?

BW:I guessthat from playing with Jamie Wright a lot that he comes to mind.I’m just trying to learn from him, especiallycoming back to the bench during a game and talking about shifts and aboutplays, body positioning or certain things where we can get each other the puckbetter.There’s so much to learn from aguy like that who’s been around and through the ups and downs.He’s definitely a true professional and someonewho brings fun and humor to the game as well.

HF:Other players I have talk to also point him out as a guy who leads byexample and takes players under his wing in a sense.

BW:He’s justsuch an energetic guy too with a quick wit and he’s an overall great guy.He’s someone who enjoys coming to the rinkand that makes for a great teammate.

HF:Considering how far back in the standings you once were, and also thatbasically the Roadrunners are an expansion team, it’s remarkable how far theteam has come this season.Does yoursuccess even surprise the team a bit?

BW:Notreally.I think we were playing somepretty good hockey at the beginning of the year but we were losing a lot ofreally close games.I think being athome and using that to our advantage, we’ve been able to get on a roll and wehave confidence in each other as players.It’s not too surprising considering the quality of a coaching staff thatwe have; the way they get the team prepared is pretty amazing.They do a great job with video and game plansand things like that.

HF:Are you feeling like Toronto is more like home now?Whatis the atmosphere around the city towards the Roadrunners these days?

BW:It’s greatto have a home rink to practice in every day.

At the beginning of the year we were shuffling around between YorkUniversity and Toronto and ithad a lot to do with our schedule.Thecity has taken us in a bit with the recent success that we’ve had.They’re trying to promote the team and getthe city aware of the things that we’re doing.We had a public skate downtown in kind of a park setting and the guyswent down there in their jerseys and stuff to sign autographs and skate withpeople.They’re trying to get the citymore involved and there’s a lot of little kids waitingaround to get autographs and it’s a cool feeling.The way the rink is set up, walking away fromthe locker room you walk past the fans so it’s kind of cool.

HF:It’s probably not that long ago that you were one of those kids waitingoutside to get an autograph yourself right?

BW:Oh sureand you always have to keep that in mind too.It’s neat on the weekend because a lot of the games are in the afternoonso it’s a great family atmosphere.

HF:To look at the 2000 draft the Oilershad, fans are often critical of that year because they haven’t seen much fromthat class yet.There’s Alexei Mikhnovin Russia, then yourself, Cullen and Jason Platt, all college guys so really ina sense you’re on the backburner for three or four years.Do you and Cullen ever talk about the factthat the Oilers have had no one from that year establish themselves yet?

BW:We don’treally talk about that.Each individualhas their own growth and development period.

I know for myself that I’ve learned so much and added so much to my gamethis year in the AHL because it’s such a great league.All you can do is try to keep developing yourown game but as far as a timeline on any individuals, all I can do is go outand try to improve the best that I can.

HF:The team has played about a dozen more games then you have thisyear.Have you been injured at all orwere those mostly healthy scratches?

BW:For themost part they have been scratches but I broke my nose the other day and Imissed the next game.

HF:Was it astick or a puck?

BW:(laughs)Fist.It was against St. John’s.

HF:Do youstill follow what happens back in Wisconsin?

BW:Ohdefinitely yes!I’ve still got a lot ofbuddies there and it was unfortunate they lost out in the first round of theconference tournament last weekend.

HF:I would assume that you would consider this season in Toronto to be asuccessful one for both you and the team.

BW:Oh yeah,we feel confident about the last regular season games and we’re just going togo out and get it done.